It gives me great pleasure to be here and be given the opportunity to speak before The Sabah Society members and your guests. Tonight marks the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Sabah Society, one of the earliest NGOs in this part of the country, and one that has contributed immensely to our knowledge bank.
Sabah draws its strength and inspiration from the beauty of our natural environment, our diverse cultures and rich heritage. The Sabah State Government on its part is aware of how sensitive our environment is, and we are constantly taken measures to balance development needs with conservation requirements, in addition to protecting our cultural heritage.
The world is currently facing numerous environmental issues that have far reaching implications for the survival of human kind. Biodiversity loss, air and water pollution, indiscriminate dumping of toxic waste, wildlife extinction and climate change have caught the attention of world governments, policy makers, academia and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). We have to come together to act and make necessary changes before we end up losing our biodiversity resources.
Allow me to highlight several another pertinent issues related to creating a good environment. Population growth and urbanization are depriving societies the right to live in decent surroundings and it is crucial for us to carefully plan suburbs, preserve historical buildings while infusing elements of beauty into every aspect of growth. I would also like to suggest improvements in the way housing projects are designed in order to strengthen sense of community living which is almost missing in this day and age.
Technology may have allowed us to grow and prosper, but there is a price to pay in pushing for modernization. Poisons and chemicals which are by-products of technology and industry pollute the air we breathe, our water and our soil. To overcome these problems, we must be creative when it comes to how we conserve our resources, and we must be able to inject elements of innovation in the way things are done. A beautiful and clean Sabah requires the effort of the public sector, businesses, NGOs and dedication of citizens who genuinely want to see the State prosper in a sustainable way.
NGOs are important partners in our efforts to improve governance, to protect the environment, and generally, to respond to the needs and wishes and priorities of our people. NGOs could provide an impetus to universities and professional groups to conduct research and development to leverage on our natural resources, culture, heritage and indigenous knowledge, turning them into value added assets. One way doing this is by designing conservation solutions through integrated planning, and another is to encourage all quarters to become better stewards of Sabah’s lands and seas. By focusing on research, we could collectively build and share a strong knowledge base on natural resources. This will allow us to formulate economic decisions that factor in the value of the environment and culture.
Let us make use of this platform tonight to share ideas and experiences, as well as to carry forward discussions on the challenges that Sabah faces. We must forge the best way to work together in addressing our desire for development in tandem with the need to conserve our environment, history and heritage.
I would also like to commend the Sabah Society for initiating efforts to trace and document nature trails in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, which are now referred to by tourist guides. The State Government appreciates your efforts and I am pleased to give an initial grant of RM10,000 for the Society to continue with its nature documentation programme. I am confident that you will put this funding to good use, and I look forward to hearing about the progress of the programme in the near future.
It is also my hope that the Society, which is made up of many professional members, will be able to produce a registry of Sabah’s historic landmarks, both cultural and natural. This registry could potentially become a standard reference on socio-cultural aspects, and I am confident that you will be able to take up this challenge.
I understand that the Sabah Society has conducted numerous programmes to create awareness on Sabah’s history, natural wonders and cultural heritage. You have organized many talks over the years, featuring both local and international experts, who have all openly shared their knowledge and experiences with the people of Sabah. I commend you for this effort, and I would like to encourage the Society to reach out to younger people – in particular school and university students. Perhaps members of the Society can think of innovative ways to share with young people all the knowledge that you have collected for the last 50 years.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Sabah Society a “Happy 50th Anniversary.” It is heartening to note that in its 50 years of existence, the Society has championed various conservation efforts and has produced fourteen research monographs, some jointly partnered with international organisations. I hope that the Sabah Society will continue to shine in championing biodiversity issues and in coming up with publications that list our rich natural and cultural icons. I wish you well in your future projects.
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